Glyphosate is considered a highly controversial pesticide that may be carcinogenic. Furthermore, the environmental toxin is suspected of contributing to the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's dementia and Parkinson's disease.
The debate surrounding the use of glyphosate and its health risks to the human brain has caused a stir – and the researchers' appeal was urgent, as passionate as it was scientific. In November 2023, two Dutch scientists published in the renowned journal The Lancet Planetary Health A specialist commentary on the controversial herbicide glyphosate and the health concerns it has raised among critics.
Appeal to the EU
The two researchers appealed to the governments and policymakers throughout the European Union (EU) not to approve the extension of glyphosate's authorization for another ten years. Instead, they requested that a maximum of a five-year extension be considered. However, in November 2023, the EU decided otherwise and approved the use of glyphosate for another ten years.
Glyphosate is still considered a highly controversial pesticide that could be carcinogenic. Furthermore, according to researchers, the environmental toxin is suspected of contributing to the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's dementia and Parkinson's disease. Pesticides can cause neurodegeneration „by influencing the gut microbiome“ and leading to changes in gut bacteria, as shown in animal studies, the scientists wrote. „Such microbial changes could act as the first event that triggers a cascade of neurodegenerative processes spreading from the gut neurons via the vagus nerve to the brain.“
Air transport
Glyphosate has the property that it can be transported over long distances through the air. High concentrations of glyphosate and other pesticides are found in the household dust of farmers and residents living near agricultural areas, which can be absorbed through the skin and also inhaled. Even more so. Researchers discovered the extent of glyphosate contamination in humans as part of the international SPRINT study. According to the study, glyphosate residues were detected in the stool of 70 percent of the participants – these included farmers, their neighbors, and also people in cities.
Independent studies are required
The Dutch advocated, among other things, for studies not funded by industry, but by independent scientific institutions. The goal is not only to assess general human health risks, but specifically the risk of developing a neurological disease due to glyphosate exposure. „Only pesticides that are safe according to the new criteria should be allowed to continue to be used,“ the scientists demanded. They cited several studies that suggest glyphosate could be one of the causes of Parkinson's disease.
Alternatives for pesticide use
In addition, alternatives to the use of pesticides must be pursued. To protect the population from Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, improved regulatory measures are also needed. For example, damage to the nervous system in animal studies should no longer be assessed solely on the basis of neurological symptoms, but the numerical loss of nerve cells should also be taken into account. Furthermore, the glyphosate doses used in animal studies are too low and do not represent the actual pollutant burden for humans, especially since they would be ingested in everyday life in combination with other pollutants.
Here is the scientific expert commentary:
